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12. Suspicious Old Books (1)
The general store is closed on Sundays.
Yoo Ji-ha as a person, balances his work and rest.
He got up in the morning, took a shower and got dressed.
Usually, he would cook, eat and read old books in his room, but today he had an errand.
‘I was asked to take a look at my noona.’
Here, “noona” means Hwang SeonYoung.
Without work, she often stayed home, immersed in old books, her colleagues not knowing whether she was dead or alive.
She doesn’t even answer the phone, so that’s why Lee Jumi, who was frustrated, asked Yoo Ji-ha to look for her.
After making a packed lunch with fried rice and side dishes, he left the store.
District 7 on a Sunday morning is as bustling as usual.
Pedestrians moving on the sidewalk, soldiers standing on the border, and hunters flocking by car gathered and shouted.
Yoo Ji-Ha walked in a hurry and headed for District 5.
District 5 was a residential area for the rich, famous even in Seoul.
There is a house for an executive of a large corporation that processes and distributes resources and materials from the dungeon and a ranker-level hunter that attacks the dungeon.
Occasionally, when passing by bus, it can be seen that the mansions are sparsely built at the foot of the mountain.
Of course, there are also several apartments that are similar to matchboxes, as not only the wealthy live there, SeonYeong lives in one of these apartments.
While walking, Yoo Ji-Ha found a mansion at the foot of the mountain.
It was a two-story mansion that looked something out of a movie.
There were several vehicles that cost over a billion parked inside the high fence and dense forest.
“That’s amazing.”
But even though Yoo Ji-Ha was amazed, he was not envious.
After a brief glance, he hurried his way, when he met someone who was running down the path in training clothes.
Who is it? The hood is used so the face was not clearly visible.
He was about to pass by but stopped.
“Wait a minute.”
“Yes?”
It’s Seo HyeJin’s voice.
The hood was removed, revealing a ponytail.
Sweat is forming on her smooth forehead.
Her eyes showed a slight sign of welcome, but Ji-Ha did not notice.
“Hello, HyeJin. Do you live near here?”
“Right there.”
She’s talking about that mansion.
“Oh, I see. You are working out. I’m on my way to wake someone.”
“Who?”
Normally, this conversation would not have taken place.
This is because she has no interest in anyone except one person.
However, this good-looking young man was quite interesting.
Of course, it’s not a good feeling as a member of the opposite sex but just a friend.
“That paper magician who worked with you in the Polar Dungeon last time.”
Oh, that person.
Hwang SeonYoung, the only paper magician in Korea.
Her nickname was a book ghost and was recognized as a weirdo even among hunters.
In a sense, she was a difficult person to get closer to than HyeJin.
Because she’s only interested in the old books from the dungeon.
‘By the way…’
HyeJin wanted to tell Yoo Ji-Ha to have a cup of coffee, but she felt that her voice wouldn’t come out.
Since she has been served precious fruits twice, shouldn’t this also be appropriate?
The reason she joined the party in the Polar Dungeon was because of it’s her minimum duty as a hunter.
However, the words to go for a cup of coffee did not come out.
Yoo Ji-Ha greeted her with a smile as she remained silent.
“I have something to do, so I’ll go first.”
“That…”
HyeJin who couldn’t catch him and let out a small sigh.
She didn’t know it would be hard to say a word.
Still, she thought she’s getting better because it wasn’t that difficult to talk to Yoo Ji-Ha but looks like it wasn’t yet.
She stared blankly at Yoo Ji-Ha’s back that was getting farther away.
Ding Dong.
Ding dong, ding dong, ding dong.
Beep beep beep beep- Beep beep.
Yoo Ji-Ha inputted the password familiarly, opened the door and went inside.
It was an old apartment with a size of 40 pyeong, but somehow it had a stale smell.
It was dark as if it was a dungeon because there was no light.
When he took off his shoes and entered the hallway, books were piled up from floor to ceiling.
From the small room to the living room to the kitchen, there were books, books, and books.
He doesn’t know, but the bathroom in the main room must also be filled with books.
“Are you still here, noona?”
Yoo Ji-Ha went into the bedroom, shaking the dust of the book with his hand.
Inside, he could see SeonYeong wrapped in a blanket and tucked away in a corner as if she were some kind of slug.
She was reading a book.
“Wow, look like some cocoon den.”
Yoo Ji-Ha opened the blackout curtains casually.
When the strong morning sunlight came in, SeonYeong, who was reading a book, fell and went under the blanket.
“Ahhh… Melt away…”
“You’re not melting, so come out quickly.”
For SeonYeong, a child of darkness, this sunlight seems like the flames of hell.
Yoo Ji-Ha reminded her of today’s promise.
“Noona, you asked me to go to the wholesale center today. Don’t you remember?”
SeonYoung, who was wriggling under the blanket saying she was melting, stopped moving.
She then smiled and slowly crawled out.
Glasses half off her face.
“I remember now.”
“Then come out quickly and wash up. So, then you can eat.”
“Okay, okay. I have no strength, so please help me.”
“How many days have you been starved?”
“…Three days?”
“Ugh. I’m glad you didn’t die.”
“People’s lives are surprisingly tough.”
This nonsensical conversation continued.
When SeonYeong read a book, there were many times when she sat all day, forgetting time.
It is common for her to not eat for two or three days.
In the past, when she passed out due to lack of energy, but she just got up again to read books, and sometimes she was rescued by guild members.
There was a time when Yoo Ji-Ha woke up SeonYoung who had fallen after coming to this apartment once or twice.
It would not be an exaggeration to say that the reason why she is still alive is because of a hunter’s strong vitality.
Anyway, Yoo Ji-Ha managed to shove her into the bathroom.
“Okay, let’s this clean up.”
The surrounding area needs to be clean when eating.
As Yoo Ji-Ha was cleaning and mopping around the table, SeonYoung came out and stuck to the lunch box.
“What side dishes did you bring?”
“Jumi noona gave it to me. There’s crab meat fried rice.”
“Oh, crab meat fried rice, I like it.”
The two took out a lunch box and shared a delicious meal.
She tilted her head over and over, saying that the crab meat doesn’t seem to be sold at the supermarket.
‘If I told my noona, I made it from a sand crab I caught in the sea in my dreams, I’d be treated like a lunatic.’
Maybe if it’s SeonYoung, she’ll take it seriously.
She said while chewing the fried rice with her mouth full.
“This is unbelievably delicious. Ji-ha are you good at cooking?”
“Anyone can make fried rice.”
“Huh? Really? I only eat ramen every day… By the way, you know that old bookstore guy at the center that we used to go to often. He said he’s going to rest today. Let’s go somewhere else.”
The center means a wholesale center.
It is a kind of market located between the 5th and 7th districts, and there, hunter supplies are widely distributed.
“Are there any good places?”
“It’s called the Sky Bookstore, and I’ve looked through a lot of old books that have arrived this time. It’s not cheap, but you can get it for a reasonable price. This time I’m aiming for the Imperial Knights…”
SeonYoung’s mouth splashed with rice as she talked about the Imperial Knights.
Her dead eyes came to life.
She used to say that in ancient books, endless dreams and hopes breathe.
‘She said she had no choice but to immerse herself in the book because reality is a gutter…’
Maybe Yoo Ji-Ha and SeonYoung are in the same situation.
He’s in a dream, she’s in a book.
After finishing their meal, the two walked out of the apartment together.
The wholesale center is just a short walk away.
In fact, the reason Yoo Ji-Ha came to the wholesale center was also to sell ether stones.
Ether Stone is an item that is widely used in various industries, it is handled by a licensed large company, but it is not possible to consume all the quantities.
So, in these wholesale centers, tiny amounts of ether stones are often traded.
What Yoo Ji-Ha brought this time was the two Frost Troll ether Stones they had obtained before.
‘I should set aside what I got from the devil ant.’
Because life is not difficult right now.
SeonYeong went to the sky bookstore first and left Yoo Ji-ha alone.
He touched his pocket and looked for a suitable handling store, when there was a hand tapping his shoulder from behind.
He turned around and saw that it was a customer wearing a cloak who had come to his store before.
“The man before…”
“You can call me CheolHeon.”
He is an alchemist from the Eternal Flame Guild.
He was standing with a slight smile, with a cloak on his skinny physique.
“I really regretted it a lot.”
“What regrets?”
“That yellow fruit. The one called solar apple. Anyway, I should have tried the fruit, but later, I found out that it wasn’t that expensive, right? It was around ten thousand won.”
“Oh, that’s one. I got it from a dungeon, so I didn’t intend to sell it at a high price.”
“Is that so? Some people are anxious because they can’t sell a product at a high price… Anyway, I was impressed with the Solar apple and the Winter Strawberry that cleared the polar dungeon. Are you here to sell Ether Stones? Do you go to certain stores?”
Glancing at his pocket, he seemed to have figured out that what was inside was an ether stone.
“No, it’s my first-time selling ether stones.”
“Uh-huh, that…”
In a way, it was an expression of naivety, but it couldn’t be helped.
At that moment, CheolHeon remembered that this young man was a hunter with no skills or characteristic.
It must be his first time holding an ether stone.
“Well…”
He thought a little and then said.
“How about doing this? There is a place that deals exclusively with our guild, let me introduce it to you. It’s not huge, but we can increase the price.”
“Am I not causing a nuisance?”
“That’s nonsense. It suffices for us to have good feelings. Come on, this way.”
He doesn’t know what the feeling was, but anyway, his introduction to a store called Hyunja’s store led to the exchange of ether stones at a decent price.
When he received the generous amount of money, CheolHeon, who had his arms crossed, said in a passing manner.
“Actually, we found out… That the solar apple. There are some fruits that don’t work.”
“Is that so? I didn’t know because I pick up too little.”
“Of course, I’m not saying it’s because of Yoo Ji-Ha.”
CheolHeon stopped talking there.
It was not good to pressure this young man in a way that it was inevitability if coincidence keeps happening.
It can instill negative emotions.
Because this young man had nothing, it was impossible for him to put strong pressure on his back.
He had to be approached smoothly and naturally.
…Even if CheolHeon hears nagging from the guild leader.
CheolHeon brought up another topic.
“Hey, you are well versed in alchemy, so it would be nice if you could visit our guild sometime. I have a lot of material in my lab. There are a lot of old-fashioned tools, and there are some talented students. It will fit well with Mr. Yoo Ji-Ha.”
“Thank you, I will visit you sometime.”
He said this, but neither Yoo Ji-Ha nor CheolHeon know when that will be.
When he got his phone in his hands, SeonYoung came running to Yoo Ji-Ha with a thick book.
‘Don’t fall.’
Flop.
She really fell.
SeonYoung got up brushing her knees with a tearful face.
Even though she looks skinny, she is a hunter and has a strong body.
“Ji-Ha, Ji-Ha, I found a very strange old book.”
“Oh, aren’t you SeonYoung?”
“Huh?”
SeonYeong glanced at CheolHeon’s face who was greeting her, then shook her head and was busy showing off the book to Yoo Ji-Ha.
CheolHeon, who was suddenly ignored, left with a bitter smile.
“Ji-ha, so this is… Isn’t what I found amazing?”
“So, what’s strange about it?”
“Hold on. Here…”
She took out a ballpoint pen and drew on the cover.
Unfortunately, a line was not drawn.
“Isn’t it amazing? Not only with a ballpoint pen, but also with a fountain pen or a water-based pen.”
“Is it like this inside too?”
“It’s the same inside. Now look.”
The moment the book was opened, Yoo Ji-Ha felt his vision shake as if he had been hit hard on the back of his head.
He felt dizzy so he leaned on the table around him.
A message popped up in the status window.
[You have acquired the Tome of Infinite Magic.
In order to write magic in the Spell book, you will need a Thunderbird Feather and various inks.]
[Ancient magic skill LV1. Acquired.]
[Good writing skills LV1. Acquired]
Yoo Ji-Ha’s eyes were filled with suspicion.
Ancient magic? Not runic magic, but ancient magic?